Nationwide Players Gear Up for Fall Finish

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This week the Nationwide Tour heads west for the Utah EnergySolutions Championship, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Willow Creek Country Club plays host again for the eight consecutive year amidst various tournament sponsorship changes. The course, which was built in 1957 and lies at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, is a par-72 and measures over 7,100 yards.

Last year, Garrett Willis shot a 2-under-par 70 enroute to a one stroke victory, and left Kris Cox, Brian Henninger, and Matthew Goggin in a tie for second. This week, only Willis and Henninger will be in Utah, as Cox and Goggin now play on the PGA TOUR.

With only eight tournaments left on the season, players are fighting for position in the top 20 on the money list. At season's end, the top 20 automatically receive their PGA TOUR cards.

This week, only four of the top 10 players on the money list will be in attendance. This is good news for fellow players as the $475,000 purse will be fiercely contended by players trying to crack into the top 20.

Jess Daley, who was absent at last week's tournament in Ohio, fell back two spots to No. 21 on the money list, and now is just over a $1000 short of the top 20. Daley hopes to regain position as he now trails Andrew Buckle and Hunter Haas, who have both winners this year on tour.

Next week the Nationwide Tour heads to Hillcrest Country Club in the capital of Idaho, for the 2006 Albertsons Boise Open presented by First Health.